


I thought these guys were my friends....

by Princesslego995



Category: Punch-Out!! (Video Games)
Genre: I eat sleep and breathe angst, Rosie's so called friends are super ableist asshats, This one is actually super super angsty, Why are you acting surprised that this is more angst, ableism tw, don't you think, it's about time I wrote for Rosie, like Rosie has a full on panic attack, panic attack tw, please for the love of god, someone give Rosie a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:26:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28660182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Princesslego995/pseuds/Princesslego995
Summary: Rosie is certain that she can hang out with some friends she made while her parents wait for Clover to get out of football (soccer) practice. Unfortunately, things take a turn for the absolute worst.
Kudos: 2





	I thought these guys were my friends....

**Author's Note:**

> This is another "flashback fic." Rosie (and by extension, Clover) are 8 as opposed to twelve here, meaning that Aran is 19 and Sharonne is 21.

"And you're absolutely sure you can hang out with these children while we wait for Clover?" Aideen asked her youngest daughter. Rosie had made some friends this year, and they were talking about having a playdate for months. Today was the day they finally would, and it was Rosie's first in general.

"Positive, Ma." Rosie replied for what was possibly the 7th time in the car that day. "Why do you keep asking?"

"Ma's just worrying about ya like she did for me and Aran, lass." Sharonne replied, a small smile on her face. "You shoulda been there when I was having me first playdate."

"Is this the place, Rosie?" Aran Sr asked as Aideen slowed the car to a stop.

"Yep!" Rosie piped up as she grabbed her security blanket. "Bye, mom! Bye, dad! Bye, sis! Bye, bro!" She stepped out of the car with the help of her older siblings.

"We'll come pick you up when Clover's out of practice, alright lass?" Aran Sr "asked," though it was more of a statement than anything else.

"Alright, pa! See ya later!" Rosie ran as fast as her little legs would take her up to her friend's place and knocked on the door to be greeted by Kimberly O'Brien, her "best friend."

"Your parents let you come, Rosie!" Kimberly engulfed Rosie in a hug, with a sickly smile that Rosie didn't notice. "C'mon! The rest of the girls are upstairs!"

As Kimberly lead Rosie upstairs, Kimberly whispered into a walkie talkie, "She's comin' up now, lassies. Get ready." As the two reached Kimberly's room, there was an uncomfortable atmosphere.

"Is everyone alright?" Rosie asked quietly.

"Can it, Roseanna May." One of the girls spoke.

"Riley.....what did I do wrong?" Rosie got quieter, and this only got her security blanket snatched and hidden.

"What was that for?!" Rosie "yelled," only getting her foot stomped on.

"Riley said to CAN IT, didn't she?"  
"Nice one, Petunia."  
"Much obliged, Riley." The girls looked at Rosie like they were ready to murder her. Petunia took a step back and screamed as high as she could, causing Rosie to instantly curl into the fetal position on the ground, covering her ears as much as she could with her now shaky hands.

"What's the matter, Roseanna May?" Kimberly teased. "Gonna cry?"  
"The lass already is crying! Look!" Riley pointed as Petunia continued screeching. Rosie wanted to find the words to tell them to stop, but she couldn't even talk. The rug of reality was being slipped from under her, and she was desperately clawing at it.

"Hey Roseanna May! Check this out!" Riley grabbed a flashlight and started flashing it in her face. Rosie instantly brought her knees as close to her face as she could. The lights, the screeching, the venomous laughter, being called by her full name when she didn't even do anything, it was too much to handle. When the girls finally relented, Rosie was able to choke out one sentence.

"What.....wh-what did I do....t-t-to deserve this?" She asked. Rosie was terrified, confused, and upset beyond all belief. It hurt.

"Isn't it obvious?" Petunia said with poison that could put the entirety of Dublin in the hospital if ingested. "YOU WERE BORN!" Without another word, she lunged towards Rosie and tried to remove her arm warmers by force. Everything in the room was blending together, most notably the sounds. Riley and Kimberly were laughing, Petunia was making grunts of effort, and Rosie herself was crying and begging for it to stop before she passed out.

When Rosie woke up, she was in the car, laying on Sharonne's lap, Aran and Clover next to her, and Aran Sr in the front passenger's seat. She heard an argument going on, but she really didn't have the energy to put her brain to use right now, though she did pick out two sentences.

"IT'S YOUR DAUGHTER'S FAULT SHE STILL HAS A SECURITY BLANKET!" Rosie recognized that voice as Kimberly's mother. Was it really her own fault?

"WELL NOT ALL OF US CAN BE NEUROTYPICAL NOW CAN WE, YOU ABSOLUTE WANKER?" And that was her own mom. Wait, security blanket? That was when Rosie realized that she did have her arm warmers, but her security blanket was nowhere to be found. That was when she heard her mom get in the car, with an annoyed sigh.

"I'm sorry mom...." Rosie said subconsciously.  
"It ain't your fault, lass." Aideen said in the most caring tone she could muster at that moment. She was all kinds of pissed, but Rosie didn't need to be thinking it was her fault.  
"But they called me by my full name. I had to have done something wrong." Rosie was clearly confused, she had so many questions, but no idea what order to ask them in.  
"You didn't do anything wrong though, Rosie. They're just mad that you aren't the same as them. But just know that it's okay that you're different." Rosie tried to smile, but she couldn't.

"Where's Mister Cheese-a-lot?" Rosie asked. That was the name she had given her security blanket in kindergarten, and it stuck ever since.

"Searched high and low for him, lass. Wherever those kids hid him, they hid him good, but I promise you, we will find him." Aideen turned back to look at her daughter and smile at her before turning around and starting the car.

"I don't wanna go to school tomorrow." Rosie mumbled under her breath. "They'll just be meaner there...." She subconsciously started crying again, trying not to be too loud. "Everyone there hates me.."

"That's not true sis!" Clover piped up while keeping her voice down for Rosie's sake. "I don't hate ya. And if someone there tries to mess with you, I'll punt them into the ceiling!" She tried to offer reassurance to her slightly younger twin as best as she could, and her face lit up when she saw her smile a little.

It was a blur for Rosie between that and returning to her room, but one thing was for certain. She never wanted to see or talk to those girls ever again. Even if she knew that was damn near impossible, she didn't want to hear whatever excuse they pulled out of their butts for what they did.

**Author's Note:**

> To clarify a few things
> 
> Rosie is Neurodivergent, with her arm warmers and security blanket being her comfort items.
> 
> Rosie had trouble making friends before, so she was certain Kimberly, Riley, and Petunia would be different.
> 
> Petunia, Riley, and Kimberly are triplets.
> 
> The walkie talkie is one of those cheap-aas toy store ones. Yeah, you know the kinds.


End file.
